Third strawberry brand sabotaged, prompting nationwide recall

Queensland authorities have received three "credible" reports that another strawberry supplier has been sabotaged with needles, prompting an urgent nationwide recall of the brand.

The drastic move came as NSW Police suggested there could be as many as six brands affected by a wave of needles found in berries across the eastern seaboard.

NSW mother Chantal Faugeras, of Wingham, posted these pictures of strawberries with needles in them to Facebook, saying she purchased them at the local Coles.Credit:Chantal Faugeras - Facebook

Punnets from the Donnybrook strawberry brand recalled on Friday hailed from south-east Queensland farms close to the Berry Licious and Berry Obsession producers, where the initial contamination was believed to have taken place.

The sabotaged Donnybrook punnets were reported in the north Brisbane suburb of Everton Park, the Ipswich suburb of Redbank plains, south-west of Brisbane, and Tweed Heads on the northern New South Wales coast.

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Queensland Health and the Queensland Police Service released information regarding the latest brand to fall victim to the sabotage on Friday afternoon and said two of the Donnybrook complaints were received on Thursday and another on Friday.

The Donnybrook supplier owns three farms in south-east Queensland and supplies to both Coles and Woolworths. All punnets have been recalled.

"People are contacting us out of concern and saying: 'This is what I've got, what do you think?'," he said.

"So some of those reports coming in are not something that we would pursue ... because we are so early in the stage of each of these reports coming through and how large it is for us to follow each one of them down."

Queensland Strawberry Growers Association industry development officer Jennifer Rowling claimed on Wednesday night that a "disgruntled ex-employee" could be responsible for the contamination.

However, Chief Superintendent Lawrence said the police investigation was ongoing and detectives were examining every part of the supply chain to find the contamination source.

"The idea of an ex-employee was put forward by the Strawberry Growers Association. We're not agreeing with that at all at this particular point in time; our investigation is still open," he said.

"We're not going to go into speculation. We're keeping a very open mind as to where this may have occurred."

Chief Superintendent Lawrence said those responsible for contaminating the fruit could be charged with maliciously causing grievous bodily harm, an offence which carries up to 10 years' imprisonment if convicted.

Anyone with information has been urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.